Coin-controlled apparatus.



. PATENTED MAY 5, 1903.

H. P. GILLPTTP. G01N GONTROLLPD APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO. 10I 1901.

NO MODEL.

Maz/'uam WLF/umm:

L mo.. wrumonm n c tro. 727,123.

'NrTED STATESY Patented May 5, 1903.

PATENT Fries.

HALBERT POWERS GILLETTE, OF ROCHESTER, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO JULIA S. GILLETTE,4 OEROOHESTER, NEW YORK.

COIN-CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,123, dated May 5, 1903.

Application tiled December 10, 1901. Serial No. 85,380. QNO model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may con/cern:

Be it known that I, HALBERT POWERS GIL- LETTE, a citizen of the United States,.residpng at Rochester, in the county ofMonroe Yand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the fol:

lowing to be a full, clear, and exact descrip-`V tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to improvements in coin-controlled apparatus, and more particularly to that class of such `devices wherein the insertion of theproper coin into the coin-slot will throw the mechanism into operative position, but the insertion of a counterfeit or slug will cause the same to be ejected Without the mechanism being thrown into operation or eected in any manner.` In this connection I may also provide mechanism adapted to be brought into action through such slug or the like to give an audible or visual alarm, or, if preferred, both audible and visual alarms may bebrought into action.

Through my invention is provided a poSi-' and Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in sec-- tion, of the coin-controlled mechanism.

In the views, is shown one embodiment of my said invention.

1 represents the crank-shaft, suitably mounted to revolve in the casing 24, inclosing the mechanism. Rigidly mounted upon this shaft 1 is a disk or annular collar 16. In the periphery of this collar 16 is radially set the pin or finger 2, having its pointed end projecting beyond the periphery of said collar. Immediately adjacent said linger 2 is a recess long enough to receive an ordi- Vthe same to swing aroundin the horizontal plane.

6 is a spring acti-ng upon this lever 3 to normally retain the same against the stop 26. One end of this lever 3 is cut away or slotted in such manner as to constitute a coin-'receiver adapted to allow a coin to pass through said slots until the same rests upon the periphery of the collar 16. "11 is a pro- -jection carried upon the coin-receiver adapted to come beneath the coin-chute 12 when said receiver is displaced from its normal position, and thereby check the passage of a coin until the coin-receiver resumes its normal position beneath the chute 12. v7 is a spring which, ifv desired, may beinserted in one of said slots otv the receiver in such manner as to retard the passage Yof an object through the coin-receiver, thereby making the mechanism more positive in its action; but this spring is not essential to the proper operation of the device and may be omitted, if preferred.

9 represents a pivoted level or dog, having one end resting upon the end ofthe bell-crank 3. This lever or dog is acted u pon by the spring 10, which normally tends to press upon the bell-crank 3 in such-a manner that when the bell-crank is moved out of its normal position said ,dog 9 will drop into place behind thebell-crank and retain the same in such position until thecam Supon the crank- `shaften`gagessaid dog to release the same. A

'stop 25 is provided upon the dog 9 to limit the downward movement of the same.

Mounted beneath the coin-receiver isa V- shaped table having the inclined surfacev 14 extending in one direction-and -thejnlined surface-15 extending in the opposite direction, atthe baseof which isformed the coingravity from a falling body upon the incline IOO 14. The other end of this tipple is adapted to strike against a bell 2O or the like to give an audible alarm. At the same time an electrical contact will be made with said bell, completing an electrical circuit 23 from the source of current-supply 22, thus causing the bell 19 to sound and the lamp 21 to glow.

To operate the mechanism, a good coin of the proper denomination is placed in the coinchute 12. This coin will fall until it rests in the coin-receiver upon the periphery of the collar 1(5,where it will remain until the crankshaft carrying the collar 16 is rotated. Vhen the pin 2 upon the periphery of this collar 16 engages the coin, the irregularities in the su rface of the coin will prevent slipping of the point of saidpin or finger 2. Further rotation of the shaft 1 will cause the coin (indicated by 13) to slide downwardly in the coin-receiver. At the same time the coin-receiver 3is forced away from the collar 16, causing the coin-receiver 3 to rotate about its spindle 5 until it takes up the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, whereupon the dog 9 catches and restrains the coin-receiver from moving back to its old position under the action of the spring (3. The coin 13 having been dragged downward by the finger 2 is released as the finger begins to recede from the coin-receiver in the course of its revolution, and the coin then drops to the right of the apex of the two tables 14 and 15 and slides down table 15 into the box 17. When the coin-receiver 3 has taken up the position shown in the dotted lines, the gate partially closes the chute 12, so that if another coin were immediately dropped down the chute it would be held back by the gate 1l until the cam 3 has by further revolution of the crank tripped the dog and so permitted the coinfreceiver 3 to resume its normal position. v Indeed, it is evident `that the coin-chute 12 may be iilled up with coins one on top of the other; but the gate 11 will permit only one coin at a time to pass down to stead of a good coin, the result is entirely different, for the finger 2 upon striking the smooth face of the slug will slip, due mainly tothe difference in angles at which the resistive forces offered by the surface of the receiver and the pointed linger act. This slipping is also due to the fact that the smooth surface offers no appreciable resistance tothe pointed nger, such as is caused by the raised characters upon a coin. However, to make the operation certain even where there are slight irregularities in the face of a slug to which the finger would adhere, I have provided the fiat spring 7, which resists the downward motion of the slug and so insures slipping of the finger; but the spring is so arranged and adjusted to yield laterally, permitting a good coin to pass down into the coin-box. As a further precaution I prefer to make the portion of the receiver 3 receiving the coin magnetic, to which slugs of iron or the like will be attracted, where they will cling until wiped olf by the slug-ejector 4. After the finger 2 has slipped past the lower edge of the slug the slug is wiped down and out by the slug-ejector 4, the notch or recess in the collar being cutout, as shown, so as -to permit a slug to fit therein, and as the coinreceiver 3 is not pushed back, as when a good coin is used, the slug necessarily escapes, so as to slide down the incline-14 upon tipple 8, ringing bell 20, closing electric circuit 23, and causing alarms controlled by said circuit, as

a bell19, a lamp 21, or any other suitable de-A vice.

I do not claim the invention covering the broad idea of using a gate to control a coinohute; but I am not aware that there has ever before been used a gate controlling a coin-chute which is automatic in its action, opening and closing at definite periods in the cycle of operation of the coin-controlledmechanism, and permitting one and only one coin to descend at a time.

I have not shown nor described how the movement of the dog 9 under the action of the spring 10 or how any other movable part of the mechanism may be made to control the delivery of any article to be Vended or to control the driving-gear of any mechanism,

vas that does not constitute a part of my invention, which is universalin its application to all coin-operated machines.

While I have shown a rotatable finger and a rotatable coin-receiver, itis evident that by changes in the mechanism that are not material I may make either the receiver or the finger stationary, all thatis essential being motion of the one relatively to the other, and I may substitute reciprocating for rotating parts, and I may entirely omit a dog or locking device.

While I have shown and set forth only one particular form in which my said invention is embodied, many changes and modifications might suggest themselves to any one skilled in the art, and I therefore do not confine myself to the form of device shown, as such changes and modications might be made in my said invention Withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-A 1. In coin-controlled mechanism, the combination of a slotted coin-receiver, arotatable ICO IIO

collar extendinginto and normally preventing the passage of a coin through said receiver, and means carried'by said collar adapted to displace said coin-receiver during the passage of a coin through said receiver.

2. In coin-controlled mechanism, the combination of a slotted coin-receiver, a rotatable collarextendinginto andnormallypreventing the passage of a coin through said receiver and a pointed finger carried by said collar adapted to displace said coin-receiver during the passage of a coin through said receiver.

3. In coin-controlled mechanism, the combination of a slotted coin-receiver, a rotatable collar extendinginto and normally preventing the passage of a coin through said receiver, a finger carried by said collar adapted to displace said coin-receiver during the passage of a coin through said receiver,and a slug-ejector carried by said collar behind said finger.

4. In coin-controlled mechanism, the combination of a movable coin-receiver, a rotatable collar normally preventing the passage of a coin through said receiver, a shaft for rotatably mounting said collar, means carried by said collar for displacing said receiver,

and means carried by said shaft for replacing said receiver.

5. In coin-controlled mechanism, the combination ot' a movable coin-receiver, a rotatable collar normally preventing the passage of a coin through said receiver, a shaft for rotatably mounting said collar, means carried by said collar for displacing said receiver, and a cam carried by said shaft for replacing said receiver.

6. In coin-controlled mechanism, the combination of a movable coin-receiver provided with a slotted cover, a rotatable collar adapted to enter through said slotted cover and normally prevent the passage of a coin through said coin-receiver, and a nger fastened to said rotatable collar and adapt-ed to seize the raised rim or raised characters upon the coin.

'7. In coin-controlled mechanism, the combination of a movable coin-receiver, a spring projecting into thecoin-pathway in the receiver, a movable pointed finger adapted to seize the raised rim or raised characters upon the face of a coin located in said coin-receiver against the resistance of said spring, but in the absence of such raised rim or characters failing by slipping to drag such coin or check past said spring.

8. In coin-controlled mechanism, the combination of a movable magnetized coin-receiver, a pointed finger, means for moving said nger relatively thereto, so as to grip a coin in said receiver, and a slug-ejector adapted to remove a slug or the like adhering to said coin-receiver.

9. In coin-controlled mechanism, the combination of a slotted coin-receiver, a rotatable collar extendinginto and normallyclosing the said slot, and means carried by said collar for displacing said receiver.

10. In coin-controlled mechanism, the combination of a movable coinreceiver, a rotatable collar adapted to normally prevent the passage of a coin through said receiver, a 1inger carried by said collar adapted to force a coin through said receiver, and a slug-ejector also carried by said collar.

1l. In coin-controlled mechanism, the combination of a movable coin-receiver, a rotatable collar adapted to normally prevent the passage of a coin through said receiver, means carried by' said collar for engaging a coin in said receiver to displace the latter, and means for retaining said receiver temporarily in its displaced position.

12. In coin-controlled mechanism, the combination of a movable coin-receiver, a rotatable collar adapted to normally prevent the passage of a coin through said receiver, a pointed linger carriedby said collar adapt-ed to engage a coinv and displace said receiver, and means for temporarily retaining said receiver in its displaced position.

13. In coin-controlled mechanism, the combination of a movable coin-receiver, a coinchute above said receiver, a rotatable collar adapted to normally prevent the passage of a coin through said receiver, a pointed linger carried by said collar adapted to engage a coin and displace said receiver, and means carried by said receiver adapted to close said coin-chute during the displacement of said receiver.

14. In coin-controlled mechanism, the combination of a movable coin-receiver, a coinchute above said receiver, a rotatable collar adapted to normally prevent the passage of a coin through said receiver, a pointed finger carried by said collar adapted to engage a coin and displace said receiver, and a projection carried by said receiver adapted to rest beneath said coin-chute during the displacement of said receiver.

l5. In coin-controlled mechanism, the com bination of a movable coin-receiver provided with a coin-receptacle, a rotatable collar projecting into said coin-receptacle normally preventing the passage of a coin therethrough, a pointed finger carried by said collar adapted to engage the Toughened face of a coin in said receptacle, and a spring carried by said receiver adapted to retard the passage of a coin through said receiver.

1G. In coin-con trolled mechanism, the combination of a movable coin-receiver provided with a coin-receptacle, a rotatable collar projectinginto said coinreceptacle,normally pre. venting the passage of a coin therethrough, a pointed finger carried by said collar adapted to engage the roughened face of a coin in said receptacle, a spring carried by said receiver adapted to retard the passage of a coin therethrough, a slug-ejector carried by said collar, a recess being provided upon the periphery of said collar between said slug-ejector and linger to receive the coin or slug.

ICO

IIO

17. In coin-controlled mechanism,athe coml bination of a horizontally-movable coin-receiver, provided With a vertical slot, a rota,-

table collar extending into said slot, means for displacing said receiver, a partition beneath the slot in said receiver, providing separated compartments, and an alarm or signal device located in one of said compartments.

In testimony whereof I have signed my neme to this specication in the presence of lo two subscribing Witnesses.

HALBERT POWERS GILLETTE.

Witnesses:

. ToHN H. DAILEY,

FRED. M. WHITNEY. 

